


How is This Possible?

by orphan_account



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Deaf, F/F, Mute - Freeform, Writing Prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 03:46:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7206011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max and Chloe haven't talked to one another in five years since Max left Arcadia Bay. Neither of them are looking up as they bump into each other on the street. Chloe mutters an apology and Max mutters a response. They both freeze.<br/>Max has been deaf for one year. Chloe has been mute for two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How is This Possible?

**Author's Note:**

> This idea was inspired by a writing prompt blog. http://writing-prompt-s.tumblr.com/  
> "Years after waking up deaf due to an unknown cause, you bump into someone that you can hear."  
> I added the mute part, coz WHY NOT.  
> 

Max waits patiently at the bus stop in front of her school. Her fingers absent mindedly fiddle with her bag, tapping silently to the beat of a song she had heard years ago. She wants to plug in her old earbuds and listen to music, but there's no point. She wouldn't hear it.

Heck, she couldn't hear anything. She had mysteriously started going deaf a year ago, had all of her doctors scratching their heads in confusion. At first it sounded as if the world was muted, but now she heard nothing.  
Max hated it.

She shuffled her feet as she watched the bus approach, impatiently waiting. She immediately climbed up the stairs when the doors opened, giving the bus driver a brief smile to be polite. She threw herself into a seat in the back of the bus, making sure she sat away from people.

Everyone probably knew by now not to try to talk to her, it had been awkward the first two weeks. She could read lips well, and she somehow managed to keep her own voice level. She has been told that she had a 'sixth sense' that showed ever since she became deaf. She could tell when people were going to speak when she wasn't looking, she could easily figure out emotions by body language and react to noises, even if she couldn't hear them. It was as if she felt them.

Max immediately picked out the few clear speaking people in the classes, tried to make relationships with them. She had only managed to become friends with Kate Marsh. She didn't mind, she loved Kate. She was so kind and polite, and maybe a bit shy. She was one of the few who didn't attack her with stupid or rude questions, and she often told off those who made fun of Max for being deaf.

Max, in return, protected her from bullies after the video of her at one of the Vortex Club parties was posted online. She read peoples lips when they were whispering about Kate, told some people off, and made sure she was there for her whenever she could be. After all, that behavior resulted in Max saving Kate's life. That was a story for another day though.

Max stares quietly out the window, her eyes quietly following things that the bus passes. She was going to roam around the city for the night, then stop by and visit Kate at the hospital. She really missed Kate, she had no one to interact well with. She felt a bit selfish for thinking like that, but it was true.

Max finally decides to get off at a bus stop where two people get on. One is a woman, and she seems annoyed, scowling at her phone as she walks to a random seat and plops down. The second is a balding man with gray hair and a beard, and seems to be saying something about a lottery ticket. Max rolls her eyes to herself, standing as the man sits down and getting off the bus.

She watches as the bus drives away, fixing the strap of her bag. She blinks and looks away, realizing she got off by the Two Whales Diner. She shook her head as she walked, realizing how nostalgic the place was. She remembers scratching graffiti into her and Chloe's booth. She slows down a step when she thinks of Chloe, feeling something tug at her heart.

Man, she missed Chloe. She felt so guilty for leaving her, especially after her father died. Chloe had needed her and she just left. If she ever met Chloe again, she could understand if she never forgave her. She didn't deserve forgiveness.  
Max blinks several times, turning her head to the side and rubbing her eyes as she passes Two Whales, still feeling that tugging at her heart. She was not going to cry. She blinks until her vision is clear again and lets out a long breath. Where was she going? She paused, glancing around her. There was a bunch of stores, she could just go around and browse for a few hours until the time she agreed to meet Kate. She inspects a store as she starts to walk again, not paying attention to the sidewalk in front of her.

Max doesn't notice the blue haired punk girl looking down at her phone as she walks towards her. The blue haired punk girl doesn't notice Max until she bumps into her. She instinctively mutters an apology, sighing softly in frustration afterwards. Max blinks and murmurs a reply, just loud enough for the girl to hear her.

They each take a few more steps and freeze at the same time. They turn and face one another, both inspecting the others face. The blue haired girl speaks first.

"Max?" Her voice wavers with emotion, eyes clouded with confusion.

"Chloe...?" Max was confused. Was she actually hearing her old friend's voice, or was she imagining it?

"Y...you can hear me?" Again, that uncertain voice.

"Y-yeah," Max stammered, "I-I mean, I don't know how-"

"I don't know either." Chloe paused. "I'm a mute, Max."

Max stared, wide eyed. "Y...you're what?"

"Yeah, a mute. For two years, now." Chloe looks away, shifting uncomfortably. Max was definitely hearing her.

"U-Uhh...W-Well..." Max pauses, clearing her throat and trying to keep her voice steady. "I'm...kinda, sorta, maybe deaf?"

Chloe was obviously surprised. "You what? How?"

Of course, classic Chloe. Max could almost laugh, right there and then. "It's a literal myster--y'know what? That's not important, what's important is how we can possibly be doing this."

"What even is this?" Chloe questions, her tone flustered.

"I-I don't know!" Max says loudly, raising her hands and running them through her hair. She couldn't even wrap her head around it. She was deaf, Chloe was mute. This interaction should be impossible.

"Dude, this is impossible, you know that, right?" Chloe was also talking loudly, Max could now tell that she hasn't talked, or at least, tried to talk in a long time.

"I know!" Max almost yelled. "I just can't anymore."

"Can't what?"

"I-I just can't! I don't know what to think!"

They both just paused, just stared at each other. Finally, Chloe broke the silence.

"We need to talk."

**Author's Note:**

> I will be writing more chapters...eventually.  
> Thank you for reading, and please tell me your opinion of this if you feel like it!  
> Oh, and if there are any mistakes, please tell me.  
> Again, thanks!  
> (idek what to rate this as hhh--)


End file.
